Tips N' Tricks N' More

OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

"Tips" on how to do something or do it better, "Tricks" for how to make something work, "N' More" for special places to look, either a store a website or whatever, for those hard to find items will be posted here. If you have a comment on another persons post, please be sure to label it as such and it will be posted in a forum type format. This page will be evolving, depending on the type of items you send. E-mail all comments for posting to your WEBMASTER.

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This page last updated September 28, 2011

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Carry a small piece of a parafin coated paper cup to rub on ferrules. It makes them slide together without getting stuck. Dell Clark (Sent by Rich Trimble)

Del Clark also had a bad experience with the wind and a beached float tube - it got away. Now he carries a small plastic tent peg with rope and clip attached to secure the tube on the beach. Dell Clark (Sent by Rich Trimble)

Carry two small pieces of bike tire inner tube (about two square inches) to separate ferrules if they are tight. Rich Trimble

If you're having trouble disassembling your rod for storage, use a wide rubber band or thin leather cloth over the joint for a better grip and twist. Glenn Yee

Another "devise" to use, instead of using your tongue, use "tack it" dry wax or "tangle foot" wax for dubbing on to your thread when tying a fly. Glenn Yee

Purchase "pony-tail bands" (usually sold in a bag or on a cardboard holder in the "women's hair products" section of the drug or grocery store) and use one to hold your line on the reel or tippet spools. Glenn Yee

You Bead It store on York and El Camino (in Sacramento) has individual small enclosed boxes to store small items, such as beads, doll eyes, dumbell eyes, hooks, etc . . Just in case the box drops on the floor, they close tight, you don't have to put 1000 pieces of things back in the container. Glenn Yee

Rain-X has been touted lately on several fly fishing websites as a good treatment for fly floatant. Rich Trimble

A small telescoping magnet is very handy around the tying table for finding hooks that drop on the floor or in your wastrol.   Rich Trimble

Other handy tools for finding any small metal objects that might drop would be the selection of sewing needle & pin magnets at your local fabric shop.   Phoebe Larne

Some of the fly tying materials that are expensive at a fly tying shop can be purchased much cheaper at a craft or fabric store. The craft section at Wal-Mart offers some too, at a much reduced cost.   Phoebe Larne

The following tips were quoted from Cabella's and sent in by Glen Yee :

Fly rod length -
Rods less than 8 feet are generally used in tight spots, such as narrow, bushy streams.
Rods of 8 - 8-1/2 feet can be used on medium sized streams or any time when long casts are required.
Rods 9 feet or better are for situations where long casts are required.

Fly Line Weight -
3 - 4 weight is used for fishing small flies and making delicate presentation
5 - 6 weight is used for handling trout and pan fish, flies up to size 6 hooks.
7 - 8 weight is used for handling large streamers, large bass bugs and bonefish flies.
9 - 10 weight is used for large flies for pike, salmon and salt water species.

One more rule of thumb - A small fly can be cast on a larger line, but a light line cannot handle a larger fly.

Selecting the proper fly rod blank -
Fast Action - The rod flexes at the upper quarter section of the rod which lets you cast a tighter loop for less wind resistance and more distance.  A fast action makes it easier to cast wind resistance flies and sink tip lines.
Moderate/Fast action - The rod flexes at the upper third section of the rod which lets you cast tight loop for short distance.
Moderate Action - The rod flexes at the middle section of the rod, moderate action offers a softer action.  Great for fine tippets because the flex protects them from breaking.

(For the "new members"?)  When setting up your rod, make a loop in the flyline and feed it through the guides.  When the loop goes through the"tip top" just cast the rod and the line and leader will unfurl.   Rich Trimble

If fishing in a boat, lay a tarp on the bottom so that when you strip line in it won't tangle around things in the boat.     Rich Trimble

If your ferrules are stuck so tight that you can't get them apart, grip your rod behind your knees, hands on either side of the ferrule (your right hand resting outside your right knee and your left hand resting outside your left knee) and spread your knees.  Small pieces of bike tire inner tube are helpful in gripping the rod.  I always carry a couple of inner tube pieces for the purpose of taking my rods down..     Rich Trimble

Next time you get a credit card or plastic card in the mail, take some of the sticky stuff off the back and stick it on the end of a Bic Pen.  Then use it to pick up a bead to thread it on a hook.  Works good to pick up hooks, too.  You may have to glue it down with Zapit or super glue and if you trim it smaller than the pen end, you can use the pen cap to keep it protected.  (Webmaster's note: You can also find the "sticky stuff" in some cosmetics where they use it to hold jars to the box).    Ross Boehm

There are several good uses for the fabric softener dryer sheets, Bounce:   (f rom Jack Meyers
     Carry them in your pocket to keep away yellow jackets
     Place them where you don't want ants.  It will keep them away.
     Repel mice!  Spread them around foundation areas, or in trailers or cars that  are siting and it keeps mice from entering.
     It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
     Bounce will eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen, and does a good job of keeping the dust from re-settling.
     Clean your shower/bathtub door with a sheet of Bounce to dissolve soap scum.
     Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet to freshen the air in your home.
     Put a sheet in your vacuum cleaner.
     Prevent thread from tangling.  Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
     Place it in suitcases to keep them from smelling musty.
    Freshen the air in your car with a sheet of Bounce.  Put it under the front seat.
     Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan.  Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean.  The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food.
     Collect cat hair by rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce.
     Eliminate static electricity from Venetian or mini blinds by wiping with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
     Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering with it.
     Eliminate odors in dirty laundry by placing a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
     Deodorize shoes or sneakers.  Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.
     Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them.  Keeps them smelling fresh.
    

California Fly Fishers Unlimited (CFFU)

If you're having problems with your knots keeping that fly tied on, or having problems tying two lines together -- Check out ths website on animated knots. http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com 
I think we all can learn something new or improve on how we are tying our knots. Rich Wilson

Using a 2 pound test mono fishing line works great for spinning deer hair.  Spin the monoline onto an empty spool.  Using a hand drill  saves a lot of time. The mono line will withstand a great pressure when applying spinning deer hair.   Glenn Yee